Plate cameras are news here

While there was an old thread in the LF forum, I thought it would be more appropiate to post this here than reviving an old thread.

Today, in the regional afternoon News bulletin (Telenotícies comarques of Tarragona, TV3/Televisió de Catalunya) shown a short report about people here using old processes.
They shown "photographers using processes dating from XIX century" (ambrotypes and ferrotypes); they interviewed a pair of photographers using a plate view camera, they said it was 20x25/8x10"; with barrel brass lenses in their studio. A curious fact that I never heard around here is that they were using a steel structure that was holding the model's head still. It was possible to see how one of the photogs took the exposure with the barrel lens.
The TV showed a bit of the process done in the darkroom. First, one of them showed how they coated the glass plates; "completely artesian process", she said. Later she put the exposed plate into a tank; then she said "now there's a part which has to be done in dark" and the screen showed the safelight. At last, they shown a closeup of the plate in a tray and how the image was appearing. She or the reporter said something like "the instant process of the XIX century" or "the polaroid of the XIX century".
The last images shown their model and one of the photographers holding the plate next to her.

While it didn't really explain everything of the process, it's nice that they show from time to time to Joe the consumer, that there are still analog photographers doing artesian processes.

Last edited by Prest_400; 05-25-2009 at 11:20 AM. Click to view previous post history.
Reason: Forgot the polaroid dialog

It shure is.
That device for holding a head still I have seen in one of the old photographic almanacs I have.
It was the only way to get a sharp potrait in a studio with 3 ASA film (or so).
Those old processes are still alive, thank God !
....... I just got my Shen Hao to complement my Sinar P2 4x5/8x10.......